1 Corinthians 15:41-57 (NIV) (2024)

⁴¹The sun has one kind of splendor,^(A) the moon another and the stars another;^(B) and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴²So will it be^(C) with the resurrection of the dead.^(D) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;^{(E) 43}it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;^(F) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.^(G)

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”^[a];^(H) the last Adam,^(I) a life-giving spirit.^{(J) 46}The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.^{(K) 47}The first man was of the dust of the earth;^(L) the second man is of heaven.^{(M) 48}As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.^{(N) 49}And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,^(O) so shall we^[b] bear the image of the heavenly man.^(P)

⁵⁰I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(Q) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(R) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{(S) 51}Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(T) We will not all sleep,^(U) but we will all be changed^(V)— ⁵²in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(W) the dead^(X) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable^(Y) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(Z) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[c](AA)

⁵⁵“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”^[d](AB)

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin,^(AC) and the power of sin is the law.^{(AD) 57}But thanks be to God!^(AE) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(AF)

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
2. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
3. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
4. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14

Cross references

1. 1 Corinthians 15:41 : Ps 19:4-6
2. 1 Corinthians 15:41 : Ps 8:1, 3
3. 1 Corinthians 15:42 : Da 12:3; Mt 13:43
4. 1 Corinthians 15:42 : ver 12
5. 1 Corinthians 15:42 : ver 50, 53, 54
6. 1 Corinthians 15:43 : Php 3:21; Col 3:4
7. 1 Corinthians 15:44 : ver 50
8. 1 Corinthians 15:45 : Ge 2:7
9. 1 Corinthians 15:45 : Ro 5:14
10. 1 Corinthians 15:45 : Jn 5:21; 6:57, 58; Ro 8:2
11. 1 Corinthians 15:46 : ver 44
12. 1 Corinthians 15:47 : Ge 2:7; 3:19; Ps 90:3
13. 1 Corinthians 15:47 : Jn 3:13, 31
14. 1 Corinthians 15:48 : Php 3:20, 21
15. 1 Corinthians 15:49 : Ge 5:3
16. 1 Corinthians 15:49 : S Ro 8:29
17. 1 Corinthians 15:50 : Eph 6:12; Heb 2:14
18. 1 Corinthians 15:50 : S Mt 25:34
19. 1 Corinthians 15:50 : ver 42, 53, 54
20. 1 Corinthians 15:51 : 1Co 13:2; 14:2
21. 1 Corinthians 15:51 : S Mt 9:24
22. 1 Corinthians 15:51 : 2Co 5:4; Php 3:21
23. 1 Corinthians 15:52 : S Mt 24:31
24. 1 Corinthians 15:52 : Jn 5:25
25. 1 Corinthians 15:53 : ver 42, 50, 54
26. 1 Corinthians 15:53 : 2Co 5:2, 4
27. 1 Corinthians 15:54 : Isa 25:8; Heb 2:14; Rev 20:14
28. 1 Corinthians 15:55 : Hos 13:14
29. 1 Corinthians 15:56 : S Ro 5:12
30. 1 Corinthians 15:56 : S Ro 4:15
31. 1 Corinthians 15:57 : S 2Co 2:14
32. 1 Corinthians 15:57 : Ro 8:37; Heb 2:14, 15